Following a fit of boredom-induced-tidying the other day I discovered an old copy of BBC GoodFood Magazine. Much to the dog’s despair - no personification here what-so-ever - I chose to make the Double Chocolate Loaf Cake as my latest distraction. (For those who don’t know, dogs aren’t supposed to eat chocolate; yet ours goes dappy over the smell of the stuff). The original recipe, which I didn’t really change - save for cooking time, the flour:almond ratio and substituting some of the milk for cream that need using - can be found here. Or alternatively under the cake on the page of the magazine pictured below…

Now, whilst not a master baker* I do like to think that I have some skills (mad or otherwise) when it comes to decorating a cake. I’ve certainly made enough of them. This meant that I was rather surprised to see how simple it was (famous last words). Also not being a nut-eater I was mildly concerned about the inclusion of so much ground almond, but as luck would have it was both simple to make and delicious (even when being begrudged every minute morsel by my ever-present canine sidekick).

My one serious recommendation, however, would be that if you are using a commercially available bar of white chocolate (usually associated with a little blue-eyed cowboy kid) to decorate and you happen to decide to melt it in its wrapper in a cup of boiling water be careful when squeezing it out onto the cake - the other end might burst open unexpectedly, splattering both you and the vicinity in white chocolate. If that’s not embarrassing enough, also happens to leave an awkward coloured stain on clothing. Be careful - you have been warned!

*maturity optional, say it out loud if you’re confused

Double Chocolate Loaf Cake

This recipe came from an old copy of the BBC Good Food magazine, but it can also been found online. It makes 2 lb loaf - or a normal-sized loaf cake to those of us who don’t speak imperial.

Ingredients

For the sponge:
175g butter
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
165g self raising flour
60g ground almonds
1/2tsp baking powder
50ml milk
50ml double cream
50g dark chocolate chips
4 tbsp cocoa powder

To decorate:
50 g dark chocolate chips
5og white chocolate

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 160°C and line the loaf tin (I believe life is too short for baking parchment and rulers, so I have ‘loaf tine’ liners - it makes life much, much simpler).

Soften the butter slightly and then cream with the sugar until the two are well combined and light in colour and ‘fluffy’. Then beat in the eggs, flour, almonds, baking powder, milk, cream and cocoa powder until fully combined.

Once the cake batter is fully mixed, stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour into the lined-loaf tin and place in the centre of the over for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before removing the loaf and cooling on a wire rack.

[OPTIONAL] To decorate melt the dark and white chocolate (separately, or you’ll have one large, unattractive gooey mess) and then drizzle them generously over the top. Remember to be careful when melting the white chocolate in its wrapper…

Since this episode of what the dog has deemed as ‘rubbish baking’, she has informed me - again no personification here (she’s just very clever…) - that all future cakes must be able to be shared with all, thus chocolate is prohibited henceforth. A likely story.

by Craig
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